Open Word and start a new document

Press the Windows logo key, type "word," and then press Enter. Word opens, and the focus is on the File tab, with the "Blank document" template selected in the document templates gallery.

Do one of the following:

To open a new blank document, press Enter.

To open one of the other templates in the gallery, press the arrow keys until you hear the template you want, and then press Enter.

To browse for more templates online, press Alt+S, and then type the kind of template you want (for example, student report or budget), and press Enter. Press the arrow keys until you hear the template you want, and then press Enter.

Open a recent document

All documents you have recently worked on can be found in one place.

After opening Word, press Shift+Tab until you hear the name of a recent document.

Press the Down arrow key until you hear the document you want, and then press Enter.

Save a document

To save the changes you have made to a document, press Ctrl+S.

To save the document with another name or in another location or file format, press Alt+F, A.

To select the save location, press the Tab key, then press the Down arrow key until you hear the location you want.

Press the Tab key until you hear "Enter file name here," and type the name you want.

Open Word and start a new document

Type M to go straight to applications that start with an "M" and then press the Tab key until you hear: "Microsoft Word application."

To open Word 2016 for Mac, press Command+Down arrow key.

To start a new blank document, press Command+N.

Open a recent document

All documents you have recently worked on can be found in one place.

After opening Word, press the Tab key until you hear your account name, followed by "Account settings, menu button."

Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Recent, radio button" and then press Control+Option+Spacebar to open the Recent list.

Press the Tab key until you hear the name of the first document in the list, followed by its file location information. If the first document is not the one you want, press the Down arrow key until you find the right one.

Press Enter to open the selected document.

Save a document

To save the changes you have made, press Command+S. To save a copy of the document with another name, press Shift+Command+S, type a new name for the document, and press Enter to save it.

Read a document

To use the text reading commands, the focus must be in the document body area.

To read all text from the cursor location to the end, press Control+Option+A.

To read the current paragraph, press Control+Option+P.

To read the next or previous line, press the Down or Up arrow key.

To read the next or previous word, press the Right or Left arrow key.

Tip: If the document you are reading contains footnotes or comments, use VoiceOver arrow key navigation to find them. Press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to interact with the document body area, and then navigate around the document by pressing Control+Option+an arrow key in the direction you want to move.

Navigate by headings

You can quickly move from heading to heading with the help of the Navigation Pane.

Turn on the navigation pane

Press Command+F6 until you hear the name of the tab you're on, for example, "Home, selected, tab."

Press the Right arrow key until you hear "View, tab," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Press the Tab key until you hear "Navigation pane, unchecked, checkbox," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar to turn the pane on.

Use the navigation pane

To move the focus to the navigation pane, press Command+F6 until you hear: "Thumbnails pane, selected."

Press the Right arrow key once. You hear: "Document map, tab." Then press Control+Option+Spacebar to open the document map in the navigation pane.

Press Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear "Table" and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to open the table in which the headings are listed.

To move between headings, press the Down or Up arrow keys until you find the heading you want, then press Control+Option+Spacebar to open the document.

Use Track Changes

The Track Changes option marks every change you make in a document, so other authors can quickly see what has changed.

Press Command+F6 until you hear the name of the current tab, for example, "Home, selected, tab."

Press the Right arrow key until you hear "Review, tab" and then press Control+Option+Spacebar to open the ribbon.

Press the Tab key until you hear "Track Changes, unchecked, check box" and then press Control+Option+Spacebar to turn it on.

Print documents

To print the current document, press Command+P to open the Print dialog, press the Tab key until you hear "Print, button" and then press Enter to send the document to your default printer.

Open Word and start a new document

On your iPhone, swipe right or left with three fingers to go to the home screen where the Word for iOS app is.

Swipe right with one finger until VoiceOver announces the app.

Double-tap the screen to open the app.

Word opens. Swipe right until you hear "New button" and double-tap the screen. The New tab opens, with the "Blank document" template selected in the document templates gallery.

Do one of the following:

To open a new blank document, double-tap the screen when you hear: "Blank document."

To open one of the other templates in the gallery, swipe right until you hear the template you want, and then double-tap the screen.

Open a recent document

All documents you have recently worked on can be found in one place.

After opening Word for iOS, swipe right until you hear "Recent button" and then double-tap the screen.

Swipe left until you hear the document you want. As you move, VoiceOver announces the recent documents as "<file name>, <location>."

To open a document, double tap the screen when on the document.

Save a document

Word for iOS automatically saves your document on OneDrive as you work so you don't have to worry about saving. If you want, you can easily rename the document.

In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe right or left until VoiceOver announces: "File button." Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.

To name the document, swipe right until you hear: "Name." Type a name for the document using the on-screen keyboard. To go to the keyboard, swipe right until you hear: "Q."

Tip: You can also find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. VoiceOver announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, lift your finger and double-tap the screen.

Swipe right or left until you find a location where you want to save, such as your phone or a folder on OneDrive. VoiceOver announces the locations as you move. When on the location you want to save to, double-tap the screen. If there are folders to open, swipe right until you're on a folder, and then double-tap to open.

To save the document, swipe left until you hear: "Save button." Double-tap the screen to select. Your document is saved.

If you want to save a copy of the document on your device, it's easy with your screen reader.

In the document, open the File menu. Then swipe right until you hear "Save a copy button" and double-tap the screen.

The focus moves to the new file name text field. If you want a new name for the document, type a name using the on-screen keyboard.

Swipe right until you find a location where you want to save, such as your iPhone or a folder on OneDrive.

To save a copy of the document, swipe left until you hear: "Save button." Double-tap the screen to select. The copy is saved.

Read a document

To use the text reading gestures in the Editing view, the focus must be in the document body area.

To read all text on a page, swipe right until you hear: "Page <page number> content." VoiceOver starts reading the whole page.

To read lines, place one finger on a page and drag it down. VoiceOver reads a line as you land on it.

To stop reading, double-tap the screen with two fingers.

Use Track Changes

The Track Changes option marks every change you make in the document, so other authors can quickly see what has changed.

To name the document, swipe right until you hear "Rename this file button" and double-tap the screen. Type a name for the document using the on-screen keyboard. To save the new name, drag your finger on the keyboard until you hear "Done," then lift it (and double-tap the screen if needed). The file is renamed.

Tip: You can find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. TalkBack announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, when on the item, lift your finger. Depending on your device settings, you may need to double-tap the screen to insert the character.

If you want to save a copy of the document on your device or a different location on OneDrive, it's easy with your screen reader.

In the document, open the File menu. Then swipe right until you hear "Save as button" and double-tap the screen. The Save as menu opens with the focus on the file name field.

The focus moves to the new file name text field. If you want a new name for the document, type a name using the on-screen keyboard.

Swipe right or left until you find a location where you want to save, such as your phone or a folder on OneDrive.

To save a copy of the document, swipe right until you hear: "Save button." Double-tap the screen to select. The copy is saved.

Read a document

To use the text reading gestures in the Editing view, the focus must be in the document body area.

To read all content on a page, swipe right to move to the first text box, image, or link of the page. TalkBack starts reading the content.

To read the next text box, image, or link, swipe right.

To stop reading, tap the screen with one finger.

Use Track Changes

The Track Changes option marks every change you make in the document, so other authors can quickly see what has changed.

In the Editing view of your Word document, to go to the ribbon, swipe right or left until TalkBack announces: "Expand switch not checked." Then double-tap the screen. You hear a ribbon tab name and "Tab menu <tab name> selected."

Double-tap the screen, and then swipe right or left until you hear: "Review tab." To select, double-tap the screen.

Swipe right until you hear "Track changes switch not checked" and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "On."

To close the ribbon, swipe right until you hear "Expand switch checked" and double-tap the screen.

Print documents

Print your document directly from your Android phone to a Wi-Fi printer. Before you start, make sure your phone and the printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe right or left until you hear: "File button." Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.

Swipe right until you hear "Print button" and double-tap the screen.

Note: If this is the first time you're printing a Word document from your phone, a dialog opens asking for your permission to connect to an online service that prepares the file for printing. To continue, swipe right until you hear "Allow button" and double-tap the screen. The printer dialog opens, and TalkBack announces: "Print dialog."

Swipe left until you hear "Drop-down list, select a printer" and double-tap the screen.

To use the default printer, double-tap the screen. The printer is selected, and the focus moves to the print dialog.

To print the document, swipe right until you hear "Print document," then double-tap the screen. The document is printed and you return to your document.

In this topic

Open Word and start a new document

Starting to work on a new Word Mobile document is simple with Narrator.

On your phone, in the All apps list, swipe right with one finger until Narrator announces Word.

Double-tap the screen to open the app.

To create a new document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear “Items,” and then swipe right until you hear "New button" and double-tap the screen. The New menu opens, with "Blank document" template selected in the document templates gallery.

Do one of the following:

To open a new blank document, double-tap the screen when you hear: "Blank document."

To open one of the other templates in the gallery, swipe right until you hear the template you want, and then double-tap the screen.

Open a recent document

All documents you have recently worked on can be found in one place.

After opening Word Mobile, swipe right. As you move, Narrator announces the recent documents as "<file name>, located in <location>."

To open, double-tap the screen when on the document.

Save a document

Word Mobile automatically saves your document on OneDrive as you work so you don't have to worry about saving. If you want, you can easily rename the document.

In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear "Items," and then swipe right or left until Narrator announces: "File button." Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.

Swipe right until Narrator announces: "Save button." Double-tap the screen to select. The Save menu opens.

To name the document, swipe right until you hear "Rename this file button" and double-tap the screen. Type a name for the document using the on-screen keyboard. To save the new name, when on the keyboard, swipe right until you hear "Enter" and double-tap the screen. The file is renamed.

Tip: You can find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. Narrator announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, when on the item, lift your finger and double-tap the screen.

If you want to save a copy of the document on your device, or other location on OneDrive, it's easy with your screen reader.

In the document, open the Save menu. Then swipe right until Narrator announces: "Save a copy of this file." Double-tap the screen to select. The Choose an app pop-up opens.

To select a saving location, swipe right or left until you find a location where you want to save, such as your phone ("This device, 1 of 2") or a location on OneDrive ("OneDrive, 2 of 2"). Narrator announces the locations as you move. When on the location you want to save to, double-tap the screen. If there are folders to open, swipe right until you're on a folder, and then double-tap to open it.

Swipe right until you hear: "Next, app bar button." Double-tap the screen to select.

To save the file, swipe left until you hear "Save a copy, app bar button" and double-tap the screen. The file is saved, and the focus moves to your document.

Read a document

To use the text reading gestures in the Editing view, the focus must be in the document body area.

To read the content of a page, navigate to the page you want to read, then place the finger on the page and drag it down. Narrator reads the lines, images or links as you land on them.

Use Track Changes

The Track Changes option marks every change you make in the document, so other authors can quickly see what has changed.

In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear "Items," and then swipe right or left until Narrator announces: "More options." Double-tap the screen. The ribbon opens.

To go to the Review tab, double-tap the screen, and then swipe left until you hear a ribbon tab name, double-tap the screen, and swipe until you hear: "Review tab, 4 of 5." To select, double-tap the screen.

Swipe right until you hear "Off, Track Changes" and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "On, Track Changes button."

To close the ribbon and move the focus to your document, swipe left until you hear "More options, button expanded," and then double-tap the screen.

Print documents

Print your document directly from your Windows phone to a Wi-Fi printer. To check that your printer is supported, refer to the list in this article: Supported Printers for Windows 10 Mobile. Also, make sure your phone and the printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear "Items" and then swipe right or left until Narrator announces: "File button." Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.

Swipe right until you hear "Print button." Double-tap the screen to open the Print dialog.

To check that you have the right printer selected, swipe right until you hear: "Printer, combo box." Double-tap the screen. Narrator reads the name of the selected printer and tells you how many options there are (for example, "1 of 5"). To select a printer, swipe right or left until you hear the name of the printer you want, and then double-tap the screen.

To print the document, swipe right until you hear “Print button” and double-tap the screen to send the document to the printer.

This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Windows screen reader, Narrator. To learn more about using Narrator, go to Get started with Narrator.

This topic assumes you are using this app with a PC. Some navigation and gestures might be different for a Windows phone or tablet.

When you use Word Online, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because Word Online runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you’ll use Ctrl + F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl + O (Open) apply to the web browser – not Word Online.

Open Word Online and start a new document

To sign in using your Microsoft account, press Alt+A. To sign in using a work or school account, press Alt+N.

Press Enter. Type your credentials and press Enter.

Word Online opens. You hear: "Microsoft Word Online." The focus is on the File tab, with the "New blank document" template selected in the document templates gallery.

Do one of the following:

To open a new blank document, press Enter.

To open one of the other templates in the gallery, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear the template you want, and then press Enter.

To browse for more templates online, press the Tab key until you hear "See more templates, link," and then press Enter. You hear: "Templates for Word." Press the Tab key until you hear the template category you want, and then press Enter. Press the Tab key until you hear the template you want, and then press Enter.

Open a recent document

All documents you have recently worked on can be found in one place.

After opening Word Online, press Shift+Tab until you hear the name of a recent document.

Press the Down arrow key until you hear the document you want, and then press Enter. The document opens in the Reading view.

To edit the document, press the Tab key until you hear "Edit document, button collapsed," and then press Spacebar.

Press the Down arrow key. You hear: "Edit in browser."

Press Enter. The document opens in the Editing view.

Save a document

Word Online automatically saves your document on OneDrive as you work so you don't have to worry about saving. If you want, you can easily rename the document.

In the Editing view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the current tab, and then press F. You hear: "Close menu, menu item."

Press A. The Save As menu opens.

Press the Tab key until you hear "Rename," and then press Enter. The Rename dialog opens.

Type a new name for the document. When you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and then press Enter.

If you want to save a copy of the document on your device, it's easy with your screen reader and keyboard shortcuts. You can download your document either as Word DOCX, PDF, or ODT file.

In the Editing view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the current tab, and then press F. You hear: "Close menu, menu item."

Press A. The Save As menu opens.

Press the Tab key until you hear "Download a copy," and then press Enter. You hear: "Click here to download <the selected download format>, link." To select the link, press Caps Lock+Enter.

Press Caps Lock+Right or Left arrow key until you hear "Save button" and then press Enter. The file has been downloaded to your device.

Read a document

To use the text reading commands in the Editing view, the focus must be in the document body area.

To read all text from the cursor location to the end, press Caps Lock+M.

To read the current paragraph, press Caps Lock+Ctrl+I.

To read the next or previous line, press Ctrl+Down or Up arrow key.

To read the next or previous word, press Ctrl+Right or Left arrow key.

To stop reading, press Ctrl.

Navigate by headings

You can quickly move from heading to heading using the Navigation Pane.

To turn on the Navigation Pane, in the Editing view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the current tab, and then press W, K. You hear: "Search document for, editing."

Press the Tab key or Shift+Tab to browse the list of headings. Narrator announces the headings as you move.

To move to the heading, press Enter. The focus moves to the beginning of the heading row in the document body.

Print documents

If you need hard copies of your Word documents, you can easily print them.

To print your document, in the Editing view, press Ctrl+P. The Print dialog opens. To print with the default settings, press the Tab key until you hear "Print button," and then press Enter.

To change the print settings, press the Tab key to move through the options.

To open an options list, press Spacebar. To move in an options list, press the arrow keys. To select an option, press Enter.

To print with the new settings, press the Tab key until you hear "Print button", and then press Enter.

See also

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.